Chip modules are usually manufactured using chip carriers whose surface is provided with a printed circuit structure for connection with elevated contact metallizations of the chip. The use of printed circuit structures manufactured in etching processes does enable any printed circuit structures desired, in particular those with a complex design. However, just the provision or manufacture of the conventional chip carriers independently of the actual contacting process with the chip for manufacturing the chip module already requires a complex and correspondingly expensive procedure. The use of etching techniques requires an appropriate structure for the carrier layer of the substrate, which in addition to a so-called etch-stop layer must also be provided with a lacquer coating when using lithographic processes for defining the printed circuit structure.
Known from DE 195 41 039 A1 is a chip module with a chip carrier, in which the connection leads formed on an insulation layer extend in a stripe-like design and mutually parallel over the insulation layer of the substrate, and are each allocated to an elevated contact metallization of a chip. To manufacture the known chip module, the individual substrates of the chip carriers are arranged on a continuous substrate carrier, which is connected with the individual substrates via the connection leads extending continuously over the substrate carrier. In the known method, the film-like substrate carrier is used only to connect the connection leads with the substrate.
Known from DE 196 01 203 A1 are a data carrier card and a method of its manufacture, in which the data carrier card consists of a flat, injection molded plastic card body with at least one recess, on which three dimensionally guided printed conductors are applied. A chip can be electrically connected with the printed conductors in the recess, and then have a protective layer cast around it to form the data carrier card.
EP 0 421 343 A2 describes a chip carrier for the connection and electromagnetic shielding of a single chip. The chip carrier has a complex, curved structure with discontinuous connection leads formed on the surface of the chip carrier.
EP 0 682 321 A2 shows a chip carrier to be arranged in a card body. The chip carrier exhibits a carrier substrate with connection leads discontinuously formed on the surface.
EP 0 391 790 A1 describes a chip module or a method of manufacturing an encapsulated chip module with a chip, in which a structured metal film is applied to a carrier film to form connection leads.
FR 2 756 955 A1 describes a method of contacting a chip with a coil on a card-shaped carrier material, which is provided with a printed board arrangement in the form of a coil.